Public Health (District Nursing, Health Visiting or School Nursing) MSc/PGDip

Who is it for?

This course is suitable for qualified nurses or midwives with a commitment to prevention and health promotion and evidence-based practice in a community setting.

Applicants will want to develop their practice in the sphere of district nursing, health visiting or school nursing, as well as gain an academic qualification of BSc (Hons) Graduate Diploma or Postgraduate Diploma the last of which can lead to an MSc.

Objectives:

The programme offers registered nurses and midwives an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and broaden their skills to improve health within communities. City offers the three specialist community practitioner routes in District Nursing, Health Visiting and School Nursing.

The course aims to support you to:

• Acquire a deep and systematic understanding of the professional and technical skills and knowledge of public health policy, practice, care delivery and service development
• Develop knowledge, skills and professional competencies
• Critically analyse social and cultural perspectives of public health, health and disease and the influence they have on judgements and decisions for practice, practice development and service delivery
• Promote multi-agency and multi-disciplinary working in relation to public health practice
• Critically analyse, synthesise and apply Specialist Public Health Nursing or Primary Care Nursing knowledge, policy and practice to work in different settings
• Develop skills and knowledge to practise autonomously and organise and appraise practice and learning
• Achieve the competency to prescribe from the community practitioner formulary for nurse prescribers.

Career prospects:

The programme is vocational, leading to practice and employment as a district nurse, health visitor or school nurse.

Such practitioners are employed by NHS Foundation Trusts, Social Enterprises and Commercial Providers.

The starting salary is generally at Agenda for Change Band six.

District nurses, health visitors and school nurses gain employment as:

• Experienced practitioners
• Practice teachers
• Community matrons
• Nurse consultants
• Managers
• Professional organisation officers
• Institution lecturers.

This course is recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

The Health Visiting route is accredited with Unicef UK, meeting the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) standards.

Students who successfully complete the programme are eligible to apply to the NMC stating that they either achieved a Specialist Practice District Nurse qualification or entry to the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing part of the register if meeting health visitor or school nurse competencies. Students can progress into the MSc after successful completion of the PgCert and PgDip.